Stenson finished at 20-under 264, the lowest 72-hole score ever in a major.
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No losers here, but only one victor. All it took was 10 birdies and a magnificent 8-under 63 in the closing round of the British Open.
Right on his heels, nearly to the very end, was Mickelson.
Thirty-nine years on from the famous “Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry, which saw Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus surge clear of the field before the former prevailed by a stroke, fans were treated to another two-way tussle for the Claret Jug that will live long in the memory. Positioned some 200 yards away on a forward tee, his caddie tried to track the flight of the ball until he gave up and said, “Where did it go?”
For Mickelson, there was no second-guessing the way he played. I had to aim fractionally more right of the hole than I wanted to and opened the face to offset that. He has now finished in the top 10 in eight of the last 11 major tournaments he has competed in. He knows he could have lost much more than that.
J.B. Holmes won the consolation prize as he closed with a 69 to finish third – 14 shots behind Stenson.
While Stenson may not be a household name to some casual golf fans, he’s always been in that group of players considered “best to never win a major”.
It was that kind of week for Mickelson: Being great just wasn’t good enough.
At 46, Mickelson knows his window of opportunity is beginning to close. Truly, the battle for the title of the British Open will be centered on the two golfers. That had also been the major championship record until Day broke it in 2015. This time, it was a birdie that clinched his first major and made a little bit of history along the way. “I didn’t have my best stuff”.
Stenson became only the fourth player to win the British Open with all four rounds in the 60s, joining Tiger Woods, Nick Price and Greg Norman.
“Mike, this one’s for you”, said the 40-year-old as he addressed the crowd at Royal Troon. Many times, in fact.
McIlroy has form for throwing his clubs, having launched his three iron into a lake at Doral during the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March a year ago – for which he told Press Association Sport he was fined €4,400, having escaped a greater sanction after apologising.
The two have been locked in an epic duel all afternoon, but Stenson delivered a crushing blow to Mickelson’s chances of capturing a sixth major championship by making a 50-foot birdie putt from off the green at the 15th. Miller did it at Oakmont in 1973.
Mickelson shot 65 for a 267 total.
Steve Stricker, aged 49, was behind him in fourth place on -5, while Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and unknown English youngster Tyrrell Hatton sharing fifth place at -4. “I don’t think that did anything to it”.
But this was even better. “It was a great match with Phil”. At the turn, Stenson maintained a one stroke advantage.
Mickelson had the edge, putting his approach on the green, about 30 feet from the flag.
Seemingly undeterred, Mickelson rallied by coaxing in a seven-foot birdie putt at the 16th before the pendulum swung again a hole later when his playing partner knocked in a 20-footer for birdie to reclaim the lead.
Stenson made his. Mickelson didn’t.
“The game of golf, it just comes and goes”, Mickelson said. “It makes it even more special to beat a competitor like Phil”. He won the PGA the last time it was played at Baltustol in 2005. He was one of only 13 players to break par on a day of intermittent showers and gusts of up to 30 miles per hour off the Irish Sea.
“We’re only getting started, aren’t we?” he said, a newfound confidence in his voice.
“Yeah, thoughts of the outcome is never really helping you”.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson leads the British Open by a single shot from Phil Mickelson after the third round following his superb 68 on Saturday.
Stenson wins the 2016 Open after a memorable finish at Royal Troon.
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Up next is the final major golf tournament of the year with the PGA Championship held at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey.
